Alan Wake Hands-on

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Darkness falls.

By Erik Brudvig

"Alan, wake up." It's these eerie words that have opened each brief look I'd been given of the upcoming but rarely heard from action-thriller, Alan Wake. Today would be different, however. I had traveled to Finland for a visit to Remedy Entertainment's studio, the building where a small team of less than 50 had been toiling away for years in relative silence on its next big game.

Today, Alan would wake up.

Remedy considers itself a boutique studio. The group has shunned the big budget, massive and quick productions that have become the norm these days. Signs with the mantra, "When it's done," plaster the walls, a constant reminder to the team that Alan Wake would be worked on until it meets the high-quality bar demanded of themselves – an approach that has produced past hits such as Max Payne 1 and 2.

We chatted with the creators of Remedy. Read here how they built a thriller.

The result has been a prolonged development cycle, one that led to public questions of whether the project had been canceled outright. Still, the team toiled on in relative silence, building its own engine and toolset, scripting out scenes, and squashing bugs in an attempt to meet the original vision. And after sitting down to play the game for nearly two hours, I can report back that it has been worth the wait. This is easily one of my most anticipated games of 2010.

The lead writer for Alan Wake, Sam Lake, describes it as having the "mind of a psychological thriller with the body of an action game." The game pulls inspirations from television shows like the X-Files, Lost, and Twin Peaks and that is quickly apparent in the opening scenes. But despite what many of the moody trailers and cinematic direction of Alan Wake may have conveyed, this is very much an action game with a great deal of exciting combat to tie the story elements together.

Watch our video preview.

After a nightmarish tutorial that introduces the basic game mechanics and how the combat works, Alan is woken up by his wife as they arrive in Bright Falls. This setting is a blend of several real-life locales in the Pacific Northwest, mixed together in a pot to create the ultimate thriller atmosphere. You get a good look at the scenery – lots of trees and cabins that will surely become horrific once the sun goes down -- as the car rolls into town. Here you'll also be introduced to the main characters and the reason for this getaway.

Wake has been hit with a serious case of writer's block. This former hit author hasn't produced anything publishable in years, so his agent and wife have concocted this idea of a tranquil trip to the countryside in the hopes of clearing his mind. Even in Bright Falls, it's clear that Wake feels the pressure. The locals quickly recognize him while he does his best to simply blend in and relax.

Your first task in Alan Wake is a simple one. Get the keys to the cabin where you'll be vacationing. Here you'll be introduced to some of the Bright Falls inhabitants and you'll quickly learn they're rather…off. There's the overzealous fan working at the diner. An old woman ominously speaks about walking down a dark hallway. You might choose to put a song on the jukebox for an old man who will then cackle on about the tune. Movie references start to get tossed in liberally as things keep getting more and more spooky.

Even in Bright Falls, Wake can't escape his fame.

The light and dark themes continue past the act of getting the keys. Once at the cabin, Wake's wife refuses to enter until you can get the generator going. She's terrified of the dark, which does not bode well for her future. A few screams for help later and the real terror begins. Wake's wife is now missing and a dark presence has engulfed the entire town, turning man, machine, and even the trees into killers.

The rest of this first chapter in the Alan Wake saga is filled with action. There are still plot twists to uncover, characters to meet, and a lot more exposition – none of which I'll spoil here – but the emphasis is on combat and exploration with a few light puzzles tossed in for good measure.